Machine for boarding and breaking raw hides



(No Model.)

- W. COUPE. Machine for Boarding and Breaking RawHideS.

241,308. Patented May 10, 1881.,

WITNESSES N. PETERS. Pholo-Lithognpher, Washington, D. C.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM COUPE, OF SOUTH ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS MACHI NE FO'R BOARDING AND BREAKING RAW HIDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,308, dated May 10, 1881.

ix Application filed March 31, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM COUPE, of

South Attleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Machines for Boarding and Breaking Raw Hides, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is designed as an improvement on the machine for boarding and breaking raw hides for which Patent No. 202,414

was issued to me April 16, 1878; and its ob ject is to increase the effectiveness of the ma evenly, the strain upon them was all at onev point, and the breaking was not so effective as might be. i

This invention consists of a hidesecuring drum having parallel grooves or recesses extending throughout its length; an (Lit consists, further, in inserting steel bushings in the bottom of said grooves or recesses, to form more durable sockets for the clamp-screws.

Figure l is a side elevation of myiinproved machine with parts removed to exhibit other parts. Fig.2is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation on line a: as, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the hide-securing drum, showing a bushing, clamp, and clamp-screw in position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a clamp.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a crib, that is made of stationary or fixed heads B, of disk shape, supported on suitable standards, B. These stationary heads B are provided at some distance from their centers with short radial guideslots a, of which the slots of strength to prevent any springing or spreading of said heads B. The cross-bar's bare retained, when inserted in the guide-slots and socketrecesses a, by means of pivot-plates c, lockin g over buttons 0', so as to prevent the working out of said cross-bars 1) during the operation of the machine.

The crib is provided with a center drum, 0, that revolves in center bearings of the permanent heads B, and its-alternately turned by suitable gearing and reversing mechanism, firstin one and then in opposite direction, a worm and wheel, G, being preferably the mechanism for transmitting motion to the said drum 0, and an ordinary clutch mechanism. 0 being designed to throw the said drum 0 in and out of gear with said mechanism 0.

0n the drum 0 are arranged, between the stationary heads B, two false heads, 1), that are provided with radial recesses b,for the cross bars b, said recesses 1) extending from the circumference toward the center of said heads D. These false heads D are laterally adjusted on the drum U by means of two right and left hand screw-rods, E, of which one is arranged on each side of thecrib, and by traversing nuts E, that are engaged by elbows 0r hookbars g of the false heads D. Between the false heads D and traversing nuts E are interposed spiralcushioning-sprin gs g, by which the rigid bearing of said false heads D on the hides secured in the center drum, 0, is diminished,and thereby a certain degree of yielding imparted to said heads D. The cross-bars b are cushioned by their spiral springs d for the same purpose.

The ends of the screw-rods E are connected at one side by gear-wheels E with an intermeshing center crank-wheel, E, that turns loosely on the center shaft, 0, so as to produce the simultaneous adjustment of the traversing screw-nuts E and false heads D either toward or from each other, according as the hides are to be confined within narrower compass before breaking them or for removing them after the breaking operation is completed. The screwrods E turn in detachable journal-boxes it, that are set into recesses of the stationary heads B, and are firmly retained therein by pivoted and locking crossstraps h, the boxes h and screwrods E being removed from the'heads B when the hides are put on or taken from the center drum, 0.

O, of sixteen inches in diameter.

The hides are firmly clamped at one end, along the whole extent or margin thereof, in the longitudinal recesses m of the drum 0, by means of detachable dogs or clamps F, that fit into the concave recesses m of said drum O,'and hold the hides firmly by means of their spurs *nand screws F, which latter pass centrally through said clamps F and the hides into the steel bushings G, that are held in corresponding sockets 0 in the drum U by side pins, 19. By this arrangement the hides are spread over the entire lateral surface of the drum C, between the false heads D. This drum 0 is preferabl y hollow and of cast-iron, with a wroughtiron or steel shaft to insure suflicien t resistance against theoperatin g strain brought upon it. Inmachines of ordinary size this drum C is about seven feet long, and seven six-inch dogs or clamps, F, are applied in each recess m, there being preferably twelve recesses,m, in a drum, When the hides are thus attached to and wound on the drum 0 the false heads D are moved up so as to confine the said hides laterally to therequired degree, and then the cross-bars b are inserted into the stationary and false headsB D. The pressure of the gradually-tightened cross-bars b and false heads D produces the tight lapping of the hides around the drum 0 as the latter is revolved. The drum 0 being set in motion, first in one and then in reverse direction, the hides are broken or boarded in uniform manner all through. The even distribution of the hides along and around the drum 0, because of the long grooves or recesses m, causes said hides to be broken more thoroughly and evenly than is done in other machines where their points of attachment are more circumscribed.

A special advantage of the bushings O is that they last in good condition for a long time,

making the drum 0 more durable.

On one end of the drum 0 a ratchet, M, and lever and dogs N s, respectively, may be placed, whereby said'drum 0 may be slightly turned in either direction, if necessary, for the more convenient attachment of the hides.

In order to facilitate the softening of the hides or leather and keep up auniform temperature in the crib, it is designed to admit into the hollow part of the drum a jet of steam through a small hole drilled in to the center of the drum shaft, also a corresponding hole on the other end of the shaft to allow the condensed steam to escape.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. ln a machine for boarding and breaking hides, the drum 0, having parallel recesses m extending its whole length, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the hides may be secured at several points and spread over the entire lateral surface of the drum, as set forth.

2. In a machine for boarding and breaking hides, the combination, with the longitudinallyrecessed drum 0, provided with sockets 0, of the bushings Gr, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the clamping-screws are held, as set forth, and the durability of the drum increased.

3. In a machine for boarding and breaking hides, the combination, with the recessed drum 0, of the adjustable ratchet, lever, and dogs M N s, substantially as and for the purpose described.

and when worn can readily be replaced, thus WILLIAM COUPE. Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. SHAW, CHARLES W. SHAW. 

